DNA sequencing methods have remained largely unchanged in the last 20 years [1]. The Sanger method is a well known method of DNA sequencing, and comprises DNA synthesis, with termination of DNA replication at points of di-doxynucleotide insertion. The DNA synthesis is followed by electrophoresis of the synthesised DNA to separate DNA molecules according to their mass to charge ratios, thereby allowing determination of the DNA sequence.
A disadvantage of the Sanger method is that electrophoresis is complex, costly and hazardous.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensing apparatus and method which overcomes or mitigates at least one of the above disadvantages.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sensing method comprising detecting an electrical signal output from an ion sensitive field effect transistor, and monitoring the detected electrical signal to discriminate localised fluctuations of ionic charge, the localised fluctuations of ionic charge occurring at or adjacent the surface of the field effect transistor indicating events occurring during a chemical reaction.
The inventors have realised that localised fluctuations of ionic charge which occur at the surface of a field effect transistor may be measured. Although ion sensitive field effect transistors are already known, they have previously been used to monitor slow changes of for example absolute values of pH in a reaction mixture as a whole. They have not been used to monitor localised fluctuations of ionic charge. In known arrangement of ion sensitive field effect transistor arrangement, a measurement of the absolute value of the pH of the reaction mixture is made every 30 seconds. Typically, many millions of chemical reactions will occur between measurements, and this is seen as a change of the absolute value of the pH. The invention allows individual events of a chemical reaction to be monitored. Each event will typically comprise several thousand molecules all undergoing the same reaction at the same time.
Preferably, the chemical reaction is DNA synthesis, and the fluctuations of ionic charge indicate the insertion of di-deoxynucleotide triphosphates (ddNTP) and deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP).
A limitation of existing ion sensitive field effect transistor arrangements is that they attempt to measure absolute values of pH, and consequently suffer from drift and hysteresis. The invention monitors fluctuations of ionic charge rather than absolute values, and thus avoids this problem.
Preferably, the time at which the fluctuations occur and the magnitude of the fluctuations is monitored to allow sequencing of DNA or mRNA.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a sensing apparatus comprising an ion sensitive field effect transistor arranged to generate an electrical output signal in response to localised fluctuations of ionic charge at or adjacent the surface of the transistor, means for detecting an electrical output signal from the ion sensitive field effect transistor, and means for monitoring the detected electrical signal to discriminate localised fluctuations of ionic charge, the localised fluctuations of ionic charge indicating events occurring during a chemical reaction.
Preferably, the chemical reaction is DNA synthesis, and the localised fluctuations of ionic charge indicate the insertion of di-deoxynucleotide triphosphates (ddNTP) and deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP).
Preferably, the monitoring means is arranged to monitor the time at which the localised fluctuations occur and the magnitude of the localised fluctuations, to allow sequencing of DNA or mRNA.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: